Following the launch of the campaign for visa-free travel to the Schengen Area by the Kosovo authorities, the EU Ambassador in Kosovo, Tomáš Szunyog, has warned that citizens of the country may face significant restrictions if they do not follow the rules and exceed the permitted period of stay.
In an interview for Kallxo Përnime, Ambassador Szunyog said that once the visa-free deal starts being implemented, citizens of Kosovo must make sure that they stay in the Schengen Area for not more than 90 days within a 180-day period.
Otherwise, in case such a rule is not followed by Kosovo citizens, Ambassador Szunyog warned that they may be banned from entering the Schengen Area for up to ten years.
There is the Schengen Information System. You may be officially banned from entering the Schengen area for up to ten years.
He stressed that if someone stays in the area for more than 90 days in a 180-day period, it basically means that they are staying illegally, warning of measures.
He further noted that visa liberalisation is linked to visa-tree travel to the Schengen for tourism purposes, emphasising that the visa liberalisation deal does not permit one to work or study in the Schengen Area.
It should be known that liberalisation is about tourism. So, it’s not for working, it’s not for studying.
Ambassador Szunyog further clarified that apart from the possibility of certain individuals getting banned from entering the Schengen, if it is found out that many people are not following the rules, the visa liberalisation decision might get suspended altogether.
Reminding citizens of Kosovo of such restrictions, Ambassador Szunyog suggested everyone be aware of the rules as they would harm not only themselves but the country as a whole.
You have this possibility that if many people violate the rules, it can lead to a general suspension. But again, there are some things people need to be aware of and need to be careful about because they can harm not only themselves but also Kosovo as a whole.
During the informative campaign on the rules of visa-free travel to the Schengen Area launched by Kosovo’s Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, Kosovars were prepared for “what’s on the horizon”.
They were reminded that despite not needing a visa from January 1, 2024, they still need to hold certain documents on them, such as their biometric passport, proof of having secured a place to stay, and a roundtrip flight itinerary, among others.
